It is often necessary for a diner to carry their plate and utensils while obtaining food from a central location, and then transport the acquired food back to a seating area. Such is often the case at buffets or picnics, where food plates and utensils are typically disposable. In addition to carrying a plate and utensils, the diner will typically require a napkin.
Accordingly, it often becomes difficult to hold a plate, utensils and/or napkin, while at the same time serving oneself from platters of food. It is therefore desirable to have some device and method to facilitate handling and transporting of acquired food, so as to free at least one hand for alternate use.
There are devices such as that of Peatross et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,711) that are utilized to support utensils. However, the Peatross et al. '711 device retains the utensil in holes on the side of a basket, or within external slots on the basket, and is, as such, not suited for application to disposable plate/utensil combinations.
Other devices, such as that of Nivin (U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,403), are suited for attachment of utensils together via a nesting facility located on the utensils themselves. However, the device of Nivin '403 lacks any means for attachment to a plate.
The knife of Glesser (U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,129) has a retaining clip incorporated therein; however, such a knife is not particularly suited as an eating utensil, and the clip is designed for retaining the knife within a pocket or upon a belt of the user. Moreover, the clip is an added component, beyond that required as a knife, that inconveniently requires assembly to the knife.
Buj (U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,033) teaches a set of children's eating utensils, such as spoons or spoon/fork combinations (‘sporks’) that have holes therein in order to fit the utensil over a peg on a plate, so as to retain the utensil thereon. However, while well suited for storage of the utensils in such a fashion, the utensils would obstruct the filling of such a plate while acquiring food from a buffet, wherein the pegs would obstruct the user during food consumption.
Hombach (U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,668) teaches a separate holding device for retention of utensils on cooking implements or on a bowl, wherein the holding device is attached via a clothespin or similar clipping device to retain the utensil in position on the bowl's edge. While the device of Hombach '668 may be suited for retention of utensils in such a fashion, it requires components that must be assembled prior to use, thus significantly reducing the expeditious and convenient use and application of same.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for clip-on utensils and methods of use therefor, so as to secure eating utensils, and/or napkin, to a plate, (or bowl, cup or glass); thus enabling the person/diner acquiring food to separately carry the plate, utensils, and/or napkin in one hand, while placing food on the plate and/or carrying other objects with the free hand.